Still



H. P. HIRD.

STILL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2?. I919.

1 3 149 Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

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'54 I ,;3'7 om fI- Epi I I 32 40 5/ J I 57 E E4 L I /kfl' II WITNESSES INI/ENTOR #45040 PH/fiD H. P.' HIRD.

STILL.

APPLICATION FILED .IUNEZI. 1919.

Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

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WITNESSES INVENTOR P TE T FlQE.

HAROLD PEARSON HIRD, OF DEWSB'UBY, ENGLAND.

STILL.

Specification of letters E's/cent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

Application flied June 27, 1919'. Serial No. 307,094.

Toallwhom it may concern) Be. it known that I,..-;HARoLn Pearson HIRD, a-subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Moor End, Dewebury Moor, Dewsbury, England, have invented a new and Improved Still, of which the following is a full,'clear, andexact description. p

This invention" relates to stills, and has reference more particularly to a still adapted for the manufacture of pitch carbon from coal tar pitch, and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a still particularly adapted for the production of pitch carbon from coal tar pitch and similar substances, which is simple and compact in form, in the operation of which heat can be most effectively applied to the material undergoing distillation, which is so constructed that the material can be easily introduced into the still, and from which the resulting residue can be readily and quickly removed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a still which can be inexpensively produced, which can be readily set up or dis mantled, and in which the possibility of ac.- cidental escape of the material undergoing distillation is obviated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a still for the purpose specified, in which the body of the st1l1 consistsof a standardized and easily procurable element such as a cast-iron pipe elbow.

The invention consists in the'construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims.

- Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in Which-- Figure 1 is a partial, longitudinal section of a. still constituting an embodiment of my invention;

. gig. 2 is a planyiew of one end of the sti v Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation showing certaln details of construction;

Fig. 5 1s a diagrammaticoutline in plan view, of the surface of the body of material undergoing distillation in the still;

Fl 6 is a reduced, transverse section on the hue 66 of Fig. l;

7 is a reduced, transverse section on the hue 7--7 of Fig. 1; p

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 1, of a modified form of the still; i

Fig. 9 is a transverse section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8; and

Fig 10 is a transverse section on the lin 10-10 of Fig. s.

Before proceeding to a more detailed explanation of my invention, it should be understood that while the still is primarily intended for the production of pitch carbon from coal tar pitch, it can also be utilized for other purposes to which devices of this kind are adapted. I prefer, especially in connection with the form of the still shown in Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive, to employ standard elements for the body of the still, such as cast-iron, 90 pipe elbows. These may be of any suitable size, and may, for example, be 36 to 48 inches in diameter. I have found that cast-iron is particularly useful in the construction of stills of this kind, as it is not subject to undue distortion incident to the high temperatures employed, as would be the case if the still were fashioned from riveted pieces or sheets of metal-or the like. Furthermore, in a still of this kind it is absolutely essential that joints and cracks no matter how closely joined or riveted, be pbviated, for the material, while undergoing distillation, attains a high degree of fluidity, and can very readily escape through even minute cracks or interstices. It is also desirable, as is accomplished in my still, to provide as great a surface for the actlon of heat, as possible.

It will be noted, furthermore, that by means of the still of my invention the body of material undergoing distillation is of a depth from the center-of the still to the elongated form and decreases in width and all removal of the residue, z. e., the pitch carbon, after the distillation has been completed.

By maintaining the material in a comparatively shallow, narrow body, it is easy to remove the pitch carbon by means of rakes or other suitable devices, as is customary, the removal being effected at both ends of the still.

Many of the details of construction illustrated and described, for example herewith, form no part of the invention, and may-be varied in accordance with individual preference or special conditions, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, the body 10'of the still therein shown consists of a castiron, 90 pipe elbow or bend of suitable diameter. The body is normally open at each end. It is disposed with its longer, rounded,

side downward, and its open endsdirected upwardly. It is mounted over a suitable furnace or fire-box 11 having the usual brick walls 12 and agrate 13. The still body is 7 supported in any convenient manner, for example, by suitably shaped brackets 14-, secured to the still. body, near the ends thereof, by means of bolts or lag screws 15. The brackets are offset, to form shoulders 16 engaging under the laterally disposed, annular flanges 17, at the ends otthe elbow, and integral therewith.

ach end ofthe still is provided With a cover-plate 18, circular in form, and secured by means of bolts 19, to the flanges 16. A. suitable annular gasket 20 is interposed between the cover-plate and the flange 17 in each instance. Each cover-plate, near its upper edge, has an opening 21 to which is fitted the flanged end 23 of a .pipe2 i, a suitable gasket 25 being interposed between the parts, to effect a tight joint. The pipe is secured in positionby means of bolts or screws 26. One of the pipes 24.- serves for the introduction oi the material to undergo distillation and the other pipe 24 serves for the escape of gaseous products of distilla tion, which are condensed and collected in the usual manner. The source of supply or the means provided for the reception of the gaseous products form no part of the invention" and are not shown.

Each cover-plate, near its lower edge has a larger opening 27, over which is fitteda suitably formed and proportioned door plate 28. Theopening an the door plate areof elongated, rounded form, and extend substantially across the width of the lower part of the cover-plate. The openin s 27 serve for the removal of the materia after the distillation process has been completed.

' still.

1,363,1ldd

to prevent the escape of gaseous products, durin the progress of the distillation process. have shown, forexample, as used for this purpose, a holder bar 29, the ends of which are movably received under offset lugs 30 and 31 of two brackets 32 and 33, secured by means of lag screws or bolts 34; to I-beams 3501i the flanges 17. The bracket 32 has an inwardly-directed extremity 36 under which one edge of the cover-plate is received. At the other end, the cover-plate has a finger 37 removably received in an opening 38' of the bracket 33. Rotatably carried by the holder-bar 29 is a pressure screw 39 having a knurled head 40 b means of which it may be manipulated. of. the screw engages the cover-plate and serves to press the'same firmly into position.

As is shown'in Fig. 5, the upper surface of the body of the material undergoing dis tillation is of substantially elongated, rounded form. It will be readily understood that it is comparatively shallow and is of decreasing depth from the center of the still to the ends. 1 This shallow form of the body not only facilitates the distillation process but also renders easy the removal of the resultant pitch through the end openin s of the still. In the form of am shown in ta s. 8 to 10 inclusive, the still body i1 consists of a lower section 42 and an upper section 43. The latter is of semi-cylindrical form. The lower section approximately corre sponds in form to the lower halfof the body of the still already described.

In this case, too, the body is mounted upon the walls 44.- of the fire-box or furnace, by means of brackets 45. The upper and lower parts of the still body have laterally extending and similarly disposed flan ea 46 and 47 secured toget or by means 0 bolts or the like, 48. Suitable gaskets 49 are in terposed between the contacting surfaces. Each end of the still is closed by means of a cover-plate 50 seating against a gasket 51 and secured in place by means of bolts or the like, 52. Each cover-plate has an opening 53 into which is fitted the end of a ipe 54:. These pipes 54serve; the same purposes'as the pi es 24- of the preferred form of the ach cover-plate furthermore, has an outlet opening 55 closed by means of a door plate 56 and secured in place by means of suitable mechanism 57, similar to that all ready described, or of any kind adapted for the purpose.

it will be understood that while this form of the still difiiers somewhat from that of the preferred form, the body of the material undergoing distillation therein assumes the he end claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters sure rigidly secured to each end, an inlet Patent pipe in one of said closures, an outlet vapor 10 A still adapted for the distillation of pipe in the other of said closures, and a repitch comprising a tubular, open ended body movable closure associated with each of the 5 circular in cross section and having an arcfirst mentioned closures adapted for the reuate, longitudinal. axis, the ends of said moval of residue from said still. 7 body being upwardly disposed so as to be above the normal level of the pitch, a clo- HAROLD PEARSON HIRD- 

